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Author Ian Rankin is among a number of celebrities who donated the most cherished childhood pictures and memories to Barnardo's as a way to support their campaign to get more people fostering children.

Ian Rankin shared this picture of him taken as a child. Credit: Barnardo's

Helen Mirren shared this picture of herself as a child as part of the Barnardo's campaign to boost foster parenting numbers. Credit: Barnardos

More than 8,600 foster carers are urgently needed in the UK and the campaign, led by Barnardo's, is calling on members of the public to consider becoming foster parents and help create happy childhood memories for some of the most vulnerable youngsters.

The number of children in the care system has risen for the seventh year in a row to more than 90,000 people, Barnardos said, as it launched a celebrity-backed campaign to recruit more foster parents.

Brenda Farrell, head of fostering and adoption at Barnardo's, said:

"The number of children in the care system in the UK has risen for the seventh year in a row to more than 90,000 and at least 8,600 new foster carers are needed in the UK .

As part of the campaign a host of celebrities shares their most cherished childhood photos and memories for a number of stunts to kick off Barnardo's sixth annual Fostering and Adoption Week across London, Manchester and Glasgow.

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The Who Cares? Trust charity has welcomed the government's plan to allow children to stay in foster care until they reach 21, saying it is "the most significant reform in a generation."

This is absolutely fantastic news for thousands of young people in foster care, giving them vital security and support at a crucial time in their lives. It represents the most significant reform to the support children in care are given in a generation.

Time and again we hear from young people who are extremely anxious about having to leave their carers when they turn 18 and effectively no longer having somewhere they can call home, especially when the average age for young people who aren't in care to finally leave home is 24 to 27.

When the state takes children into care, we have a moral duty to do our best to ensure that they are loved and cared for and to provide them with support and a home beyond their 18th birthday, like all good parents do, including somewhere to come back to in the vacations if they go to university.

It is excellent news that the Government has agreed that young people leaving foster care should not be left to fend for themselves at 18.

The children and families minister Edward Timpson, whose family fostered nearly 90 children, said allowing those in foster care to stay with their carers until they are 21 gives them "sufficient time to prepare for life after care."

I know from the many foster children I grew up with how crucial it is for them to be given sufficient time to prepare for life after care.

A growing number of local authorities already offer young people the choice to stay but with little financial support it can be challenging for their foster families.

Now all councils will have to follow their example, and we are giving them £40 million towards the cost.

This will allow the 10,000 young people leaving stable and secure homes to make the transition from care to independence when they are ready, rather than when their council tells them to.